Russian scientists report on the results of the Russian Geographical Society’s project at the International Wildlife Management Congress

10 August 2015

Experts from the Russian Academy of Sciences permanent expedition for the monitoring of animals from the Russian Red Data Book and other rare species of Russian fauna, who are carrying out a Russian Geographical Society project on the study of endangered species (the Amur tiger, Far Eastern leopard, snow leopard, beluga, near Asian leopard and polar bear) took part in the 5th International Wildlife Management Congress, which was held from 26 to 31 July in Sapporo (Hokkaido, Japan).

The Russian scientists reported on the results of activities carried out in Russia’s Far East and Far North. Ilya Meshchersky, PhD in Biology and leading researcher at the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution at the Russian Academy of Sciences, presented a report on the distribution of beluga whales in the seas of the Russian Far East based on genetic data. In addition, the Russian experts spoke about the principles of recovery of the populations of large carnivores and the reintroduction of the Amur tiger and other big cats in Russia; the social structure and habitat use by Amur tigers in the south of the Russian Far East, based on data obtained using GPS-telemetry and camera traps; the genetic structure of the Amur tiger population and the extent of isolation of the Sikhote-Alin and southwestern groups; evaluation of the physiological status of large carnivores as an objective tool to assess the status of populations of rare and commercial species; cross-border movements of large carnivores in Russia’s Far East; and assessment of the vulnerability of polar bear ice habitats in the eastern sector of the Russian Arctic.

The reports by the Russian experts evoked much interest at the congress, which was attended by nearly a thousand experts from 50 countries, demonstrating a high level of the development of the Russian science. Expedition members also assessed the achievements of their foreign colleagues, looked at samples of expedition equipment displayed at the congress and exchanged experience.